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Therefore there is now no condemnation at all for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1, NASB).
The Greek word for “condemnation” means “looking down upon” or “devaluing.”
There are three types of condemnation: when we condemn ourselves, condemn others, or when others condemn us. In other words, we devalue ourselves, look down upon others, and others condemn or devalue us.
Romans 8:1 gives a simple solution as there is now no condemnation at all for those who are in Christ Jesus. And we find this Jesus-solution for condemnation expanded later in Romans 8. . .
Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, but rather, was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us (Romans 8:34).
If Jesus died for us with His blood, bringing forgiveness, why don’t we forgive ourselves, forgive others, or worry if others won’t forgive us? The solution for self-condemnation means considering only what Jesus thinks of us — not what we or others think!
And what does God think of us?
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? (Romans 8:31-32)
The Bible teaches that our value compelled God to send His Son to die for us. Let’s remember that if God is for us, we shouldn’t be self or other-condemning! Jesus died for all of us.
I’ve found that condemnation comes from false expectations; we build expectations of ourselves and others, and when we or they don’t measure up, we condemn. Unfortunately, our expectations of ourselves aren’t God’s expectations, and our expectations of others, too often self-generated, without their consent or agreement, become chains that we place upon them.
False expectations come from past experiences; we expect the bad not to happen again and the good to happen again. We did something bad and think that we will never do it again, but then we do. Or we enjoyed something in a past relationship and expect a new relationship to have the same quality, and it doesn’t.
These unfulfilled expectations from the past breed today’s condemnation. What can we do?
Paul writes in Romans, “That the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace!” (Romans 8:6) So, we can’t do anything, but the Spirit can. As Paul continues. . .
Now in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words (Romans 8:26).
It’s difficult to confront condemnation as it hides behind our guilt, doubts, and fears. Fortunately, the Spirit intercedes for us even when — in our angst — we can’t pray an intelligible word.
Let’s keep our minds focused on the Spirit of life and peace — the solution for condemnation.